


Love Me Gentle, Love Me Sweet

by Adel Mortescryche (Mortescryche)



Series: KHR Rare Pair Week 2018 [3]
Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Absent Characters, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Attempt at Humor, BAMF Sasagawa Kyouko, BAMF Sawada Tsunayoshi, BAMF Women, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, M/M, Secret Relationship, Slow Build, Team as Family, Well technically awkwardly gravitating acquaintances to friends to lovers, Women Being Awesome, though you have to wonder is it really secret when everyone's shipping it
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-17
Updated: 2018-06-17
Packaged: 2019-05-24 16:29:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14958104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mortescryche/pseuds/Adel%20Mortescryche
Summary: In an Alternate Universe where Sasagawa Kyoko is the Sky watching over Namimori, Tsuna chooses to be her Sun Guardian over fighting with her for control over the town. This has far-reaching consequences, to say the least, but the one that tends to make Tsuna the most awkward? Is his relationship with Sasagawa Ryohei - the upperclassman who could have been his Sun, in some other life.It just figures that Kyoko insists on him spending more time with Ryohei when the top fighters of Namimori start getting targeted in mysterious attacks.(Or: Kyoko's Sun Guardian, Tsuna, has an unfortunate and awkward crush on her older brother. Kyoko... meddles.)





	Love Me Gentle, Love Me Sweet

**Author's Note:**

> This is pretty much fluff with angsty undertones thrown in for an edge. Enjoy.

“My brother’s in the hospital,” Kyoko said, and all of them stopped moving.

Tsuna glanced back warily from where he was helping Takeshi with the dishes. His Sky had a hard look about her eyes, for all that she was still smiling as benignly as ever. Hana looked like she wanted to crabwalk away from the dining table, though, and that was _never_ a good sign.

He traded looks with Takeshi, who looked about as wary as Tsuna did, then sighed, and dried off his hands with the napkin on Takeshi’s shoulder.

“Do we know who attacked him?” Tsuna asked grimly, making it a point to keep his smile on his face all the while, because Kyoko didn’t like making things too serious or messy if she could avoid it. And if she was avoiding a scene over her brother… Well, Tsuna was willing to respect that. Always.

Kyoko turned that sweetly murderous expression on him, and it was about all Tsuna could do to not drop down to the floor, hiding behind the chairs to get away from it. He’d _known_ Hibari and Gokudera were horrible influences on Kyoko, damnit.

“I’m still not sure,” she replied “But when I do, I have _words_ that need to be exchanged with them!”

Tsuna laughed awkwardly, Takeshi chiming in chuckles of his own. Hana stared at them as though they were crazy before turning back to Kyoko, making another attempt at calming them down.

This was why Tsuna had decided to follow Kyoko instead of being an independent Sky the way he knew Gokudera and Reborn had both thought he would be - because she could be kind even when she was angry. Reborn had _warned_ him against it, said that the Vongola wouldn’t be happy at all if they found out their last chance for an heir decided to embrace being a Sun instead, but Tsuna couldn’t care less.

So, really, Tsuna was doing everyone a favor by bowing out. Xanxus could handle the Vongola and the Mafia, he’d been groomed for it from what Tsuna had heard. He was happy living a relatively quiet life with his friends in Namimori, with a Sky who was responsible enough and cared enough that he was able to rest easy, blooming under her love.

“Takeshi,” Kyoko said, cutting through Hana’s protests, “could you ask around? I know you’ve got lots of friends and fans in other schools too - maybe you’ll hear something about new people in town.”

“Sure. I can do that. Want me to coordinate with Haru and Hayato? They’re both pretty good at groundwork,” Takeshi responded easily, drying his hands off as well.

“I’d like that, yes. Thank you, Takeshi-kun, you’re a dear.”

“ _Kyoko_ ,” Hana groaned, and Tsuna grinned in spite of himself. And then lost the grin when Kyoko turned an orange tinged stare on him.

“Tsuna,” she said, and he _already knew he wasn’t going to like this_ , “I want you to go look up my brother in the hospital.”

And he was right.

“Kyoko-chan…” He said, not needing to finish his words, and her expression turned pleading. Which wasn’t fair at all, damnit.

“Please. You’re sturdier than Takeshi, and I know you can hold your own. If anyone tries to come after him in the hospital…”

_I could ask Hibari,_ Tsuna didn’t say. _Hibari isn’t so cold that he’d refuse to place some of his prefects at the door._

He was sturdier, so he should technically be staying with his Sky right. Hana couldn’t be enough protection all on her own, not when she was still in the process of being beaten into shape along with Haru.

He didn’t say anything, though, simply ducked his head in agreement, and avoided the concerned glances both Takeshi and Hana shot his way.

*

It wasn’t that he and Kyoko’s older brother didn’t get along. They _did_. That was the worst part.

Tsuna barely needed Reborn’s training to be able to tell that Kyoko’s older brother was a Sun. He was probably one of the purest Suns Reborn had ever seen, other than Reborn himself, with barely a hint of any other Flame. Back when Reborn had still been training Tsuna to be a Sky, and the next Boss of the Vongola, he’d been set on Kyoko’s older brother being Tsuna’s Sun.

Tsuna had consciously ignored forming bonds of his own, instead allowing himself to be tied to Kyoko’s fledgling Resonance. And yet, something about all the bonds he could have formed still niggled at him, the potential of them singing against Tsuna’s senses, even when Tsuna was fully loyal to Kyoko.

Gokudera. Hibari. Even Takeshi, before he had chosen to get tied to Kyoko’s Flames. And… Ryohei.

The boxing captain looked utterly delighted when Tsuna peeked his head in, once visiting hours had started.

“SAWADA!” He roared, and Tsuna hurried dived into the room, slamming the door shut behind him before Ryohei’s voice could attract the attention of the nurses. “You’ve come to visit! How EXTREME of you!”

“Hi Ryohei-senpai,” Tsuna offered meekly, holding his bag close when he settled into the chair beside the older teen’s bed.

The boxer was no fool, Tsuna had to give him that. He eyed Tsuna with a surprisingly sharp gaze even when he was prone on the bed, one eye swollen shut. Ryohei’s body was wrecked enough that Tsuna almost wondered whether he would be good enough as a body guard if it came down to it.

“Kyoko asked you to come, didn’t she.”

Tsuna dropped his chin in a nod, not seeing any reason to hide it. Ryohei wasn’t even in junior high anymore; there was literally no reason for Tsuna to be hanging around every day when they barely knew each other outside of them both being close to Kyoko.

Ryohei _huffed_ , sounding enough like Kyoko when she was irritated that Tsuna had to stuff a fist in front of his mouth to keep the laughter in.

“But if she sent you… That means you must be more extreme than you were when we were in school together! Did you join the boxing club like I asked you to?”

Tsuna laughed nervously, rubbing the back of his neck. When Ryohei kept staring him down, he knew he _had_ to answer, though.

“Not the boxing club. Sorry, senpai. But mom got me a home tutor, and Hibari-senpai’s been after me to keep fit every day.”

A strange look appeared on Ryohei’s face when Tsuna mentioned Hibari, but he didn’t say anything, instead nodding seriously, a wide grin tugging at his lips as he waved at Tsuna to drag his chair closer.

Tsuna winced, and did as he asked without any questions, because that grin looked _painful_ on Ryohei’s face. He found himself spending the rest of the afternoon describing the ‘training’ that Hibari continued to put him through, even after he’d finally deigned to graduate from junior high himself.

Ryohei seemed almost ruthlessly amused at the sound of the spars that Tsuna was being forced into every day. Tsuna might have felt insulted if Ryohei’s good cheer weren’t somehow infectious - he actually found himself smiling back in response, if not quite as toothily.

“Ah, makes me want to get back on my feet,” Ryohei grumbled. “Maybe go after the punks who knocked me down in the first place.”

“Ah, no, that would make Kyoko-chan sad. We don’t want that.” Tsuna countered, serious, and Ryohei had the gall to sigh.

“Of course we don’t want that!” The older teen said. “But it wouldn’t be manly at all if I decided to take it easy just because my kid sister didn’t like something! What kind of older brother would I be if I took being bashed up in stride?”

“A safer and saner one.” Tsuna suggested, and Ryohei scoffed, waving the suggestion aside.

“Are you going to come here every day, Sawada?” He asked instead, and Tsuna shrugged, trying very hard not to imagine what Kyoko’s reaction would be if she found out Ryohei was planning on tracking down whoever had thrashed him in the first place.

“Probably,” he agreed. “I’m supposed to be your last line of defense, senpai. Let’s hope nothing comes for us, for both our sakes. Because it would make Kyoko sad.”

Ryohei looked like he’d been gearing up for a loud, extreme declaration of why it would be extremely cool if they were attacked, but he thankfully cooled his jets when Tsuna mentioned Kyoko getting sad, just like he’d hoped.

*

When Tsuna returned to the hospital room the next day, it was to find Ryohei already up and about, attempting to attach a rod of some sort in the corner so he could do pull ups each day. It was that or jury rig a punching bag of some sort out of the sheets, and Tsuna really didn’t want to know how Ryohei would do anything of the sort without any sand for the bags. He wondered if he should watch out for holes if he needed to walk past the gardens attached to the hospital later, when he was heading back home.

“Sawada!” Ryohei roared, as cheery as ever, ignoring Tsuna’s reflexive wince to put the rod away, instead bouncing towards him with a wide grin. “I am much better today!”

“I… can see that,” Tsuna replied dubiously, wondering if Ryohei had somehow made use of sun flames to heal himself, or if the latent flames in his body had healed him without any prior flame knowledge.

“I can train now!” Ryohei declared happily. “You can help me! You help Hibari! That’s extreme all on its own!”

Tsuna shivered at the excited babble, wondering if he needed to fear for his own life if Kyoko or Hana ever figured out that Tsuna had somehow made Ryohei enthusiastic enough to boost his own healing speed just because he wanted to spar against Tsuna. Takeshi, Hibari and Gokudera would probably just be amused with him. Haru too.

“Maybe just… get in bed before a nurse comes by and kicks me out for helping you up?” Tsuna tried awkwardly, but Ryohei shot him a _look,_ one he’d probably practiced on any sorry fool who decided to creep into the boxing club even when Ryohei was captain, because the next thing Tsuna knew, he found himself putting down his bag and trotting up to help before he could blink.

They had to give up on the rod, since Tsuna would probably have to sneak in power tools to drill it to the wall before it would be strong enough to hold up Ryohei’s weight. The older teen was pure muscle, after all, and muscle was _heavy._ Ryohei scowled, and glanced around his room, wondering out loud if he should use the curtain rods, and Tsuna _groaned._

“No. If you bring those down with you, you’ll hurt yourself bad enough that you’ll be stuck in the hospital for _even longer_ senpai. Do you really want that.”

Ryohei somehow managed to make his face _pout,_ and it looked adorable enough that Tsuna had to steel himself not to laugh. Well, he _was_ Kyoko’s older brother, after all. Tsuna supposed the cute ran in the family. He ignored it, though, and forced Ryohei to get back in bed; needing to handle Kyoko had taught him how to ignore cute pouts when he had to. Thirteen year old Tsuna probably would have been knocked straight off of his feet, though.

Ryohei was just too attractive, damnit. Tsuna could never figure out if it was the face, the muscles or his loyalty to Kyoko. He wouldn’t be surprised if it was somehow all of the above.

It was like Gokudera’s loyalty to him; Gokudera and Takeshi could barely get along on a good day after Takeshi had decided to shift his loyalty to Kyoko – but Gokudera and Hibari got along like a house on fire. They got along well enough that Gokudera actually made the trip over to Namimori _kōkō_ after school, and probably terrorized the Senior High students just because he could.

“You owe me an extreme spar, Sawada,” Ryohei grumbled from the bed, and Tsuna allowed himself a grin, dragging his armchair closer.

“If you say so, senpai. Get better first, and then we’ll talk.”

Ryohei’s face twisted in dissatisfaction, but he subsided, instead propping himself up on some pillows, demanding Tsuna to tell him how Namimori _chūgakkō_ was doing since he and Hibari had graduated.

*

Tsuna got lulled into a sense of comfort by his constant trips to the hospital. Spending time with Ryohei seemed fun enough, and easy enough, that he barely remembered why he’d been so uneasy early on when Kyoko had first ordered him to keep an eye on her brother. Kyoko seemed to be helplessly amused, when she wasn’t worried about the fact that Takeshi and Gokudera still hadn’t made any headway on the topic of who was attacking well known fighters in Namimori, and Hana seemed thoroughly exasperated in a way Tsuna wasn’t really used to, but Tsuna was good at ignoring both of them, for his own mental health.

“I think I might know who’s behind this,” Reborn announced out of the blue one day, perched on the windowsill of Ryohei’s hospital room and making Tsuna start, while Ryohei whipped around, first looking ready for a fight and then just looking bemused.

“The fedora baby? You’re Colonello’s friend, aren’t you?”

Reborn grunted, and bounced further into the room, somehow making it from the window sill to the bed in a single leap. Tsuna frowned at him disapprovingly.

“You realize you should be telling Kyoko or Hibari about this, not me. _I’m_ not the one who’s responsible for Namimori as a whole.”

Reborn gave him a nasty look in response, and pointedly sat down cross-legged on the bed.

“Blood says you’re the one I’m supposed to be talking to, dame-Tsuna. It’s none of my business if you’re answering to someone else now. I’m here as an independent contractor at this point and Kyoko-chan might be the power in these parts, but I’m not really interested in speaking to her.”

“I don’t think I like the way you’re speaking about my sister, baby.” Ryohei said, voice deadly-still. Tsuna stiffened up in surprise, not really expecting that, but Reborn simply laughed, shooting a hard smile Ryohei’s way.

“I don’t mean any disrespect to your sister, Sasagawa. She’s a good kid. My problems are with _Tsuna,”_ he said pointedly, and Ryohei surprisingly took that at face value, simply nodding seriously, lifting a handing up to thumb his chin in thought.

“I understand, to the extreme! Sawada seems okay with having you here, and he’s good to my sister, so I’ll let it go!” he declared loudly, and Reborn ducked his head in thanks.

Tsuna gave a token scowl when Reborn turned back to him, but he did listen seriously when Reborn outlined the Mukuro problem. He’d need to pass on the information, after all, and he was sure Hibari would be happy to have the information too. Or, at least, he’d be murderously pleased.

“I’m confused, though,” Tsuna admitted when he was done. “If this Mukuro was going after fighters an martial artists in Namimori, and even went after Ryohei-senpai, why’d he stop there? Wouldn’t it make sense to go after Hibari, or Takeshi and Gokudera?”

“Or Sawada,” Ryohei chimed in. “He’s a great fighter too, to the extreme!”

Tsuna felt himself flush, and forcefully ignored the hint of pleasure and pride that bubbled up in the wake of Ryohei’s support. Reborn shot him a suspiciously amused glance before his face went serious again, sighing tiredly.

“It’s the power distribution in Namimori,” he replied. “Judging from what the Vindice’s notices on Rokudo had to say, he headed in the direction of Namimori based on the rumors that the Vongola had a young power base here, relatively cut off from support from the Main Famiglia’s stronghold in Sicily. But Namimori’s power distribution isn’t normal at all, from a Mafia standpoint.”

Tsuna nodded slowly at that. It did make sense, after all. From all that Reborn had had to say on the topic of blood equaling power in Sicily, unless the no names were powerful enough to make a name for themselves all on their own, Tsuna should have controlled the largest share of the power in Namimori. Instead, he was Sun Guardian to Kyoko, who’d insisted on staying civilian, for all that she and her guardians were all well trained enough to protect themselves. And Hibari was Hibari – he ran Namimori like his own private fiefdom, for all that he had the support of his family to do so.

“I’ll pass the information on to Kyoko. And Hibari too; God knows he’ll only be too happy to have a direction in which to be pointed in, if Kusakabe-san’s resources haven’t gotten them any information on Mukuro. Thanks Reborn.”

Reborn rolled his eyes, dipping his fedora down to hide his eyes. Tsuna felt an involuntary smile tug at his lips. For all that Reborn claimed he still believed Tsuna was wasting his time and resources by insisting on remaining a Sun Guardian when he had Sky Flames as pure as he did, Tsuna knew the Arcobaleno had something of a soft spot for him and the others by now. He had no other reason to be sticking around, not when Tsuna’s dad was so pissed off with him and the Kyuudaime of the Vongola had decided to wash his hands off of Tsuna after Tsuna had come to an agreement with Xanxus and the Varia.

“I’d help, to the extreme, but I can’t! I always heal fast, but I think I need to be at a 110 percent for this Rokudo Mukuro and his people, and I won’t get there in time!”

Ryohei’s voice broke the serious atmosphere, disappointment heavy in his voice, but it was as lively as ever. If anything, he seemed determined to will his way towards good health in time to join them in going after Mukuro. Tsuna gave a helplessly fond grin, shaking his head.

“Don’t worry, senpai, there’s always Hibari. And if you manage to get healed in time, you can definitely come along. Unless Kyoko-chan says no, anyway.”

“ _Kyoko,”_ Ryohei muttered, the name almost a curse on his lips. Tsuna would have taken offense at the tone if he didn’t know just how much Ryohei actually cared for his sister.

“I’ve done my duty, anyway. The rest is on you, dame-Tsuna! If you’ve learnt anything from me, you _won’t_ get hurt. Or let anyone else get hurt.” His piece said, Reborn darted back out the way he’d come in, fast enough that Tsuna barely caught his blur as he left.

Rolling his eyes, Tsuna pushed himself back to his feet.

“I should probably make a move, too, Kyoko needs to hear this. I’ll see you later senpai.” He sighed.

Ryohei gave him a thumbs up and a bright grin.

“I’ll be waiting to hear your extreme tales, Sawada! Don’t lose!”

Tsuna left with a ducked nod, lips cutting up in a wide smile.

*

Kyoko, when Tsuna narrated what Reborn told him, was very unamused. He might have taken that as a mark of disfavor against him, except he _knew_ Kyoko-chan, and-

“This is unfair!” she snapped. “I thought we’d already managed to lay that Vongola stuff to a rest! Why can’t that world just leave you alone?!”

It was times like these that Tsuna couldn’t help but notice the similarities between Kyoko and her older brother. Kyoko looked just as vehement as Ryohei had, if for a completely different reason. Tsuna laughed, rubbing at the back of his head wryly.

“I’d like that too,” he admitted. “You know I would, Kyoko-chan. I don’t want anything else other than to be left alone with my mother and friends. I’m happy in Namimori. That’s why I told Xanxus to take the rings and the helm of the Vongola, when he and the rest of the Varia’s inner circle showed up here back in our second year.”

Kyoko made a huffing sound, her nose twitching adorably, almost like a rabbit’s. Tsuna hid a grin behind his fist. Hana was right, Kyoko was too cute to be real sometimes.

“Well, anyway. We should go meet up with Kyoya-san,” Kyoko said. “You’re right, he’d want to hear about this too.”

Tsuna nodded agreeably, and they both left her home without another word. They took his bike, because he’d driven it till the hospital and then to Kyoko’s home afterwards. It got them till Namimori Senior High in very little time, Tsuna well used to shooting through traffic as fast as possible while staying within the allowed speed limit. Kyoko clung on to him easily, just as well versed with staying in place behind him, much like everyone in their little group was.

The bike got them _stares,_ when he drove it in through the gates, parking in the parking lot. Kyoko-chan got them even more stares than just the bike, when they got their helmets off. Tsuna wilted under the nastier jealous looks being shot in his direction, wondering just how all the students would have reacted if they found out that the girl they were staring at was Ryohei’s sister. No doubt he was just as unforgettable on the Senior High campus as he’d been in their school.

Kyoko, busy setting her long hair to rights over her shoulders, fluffing it back to its natural volume after it had been pinned under the helmet for as long as it had, shrugged off the stares with the unenviable ease of years of practice.

 “You’ve been here before, right? Do you know the way to Kyoya-san’s office?”

“We could probably just ask one of the students here. It’s _Hibari,_ after all.”

“True.”

Asking after Hibari netted them even more incredulous stares that the bike had, but it had the added benefit of drawing attention to them from the prefects, who immediately greeted Kyoko with deep bows and ‘Kyoko-dono’s and gestures for them to follow. And follow they did, with Tsuna trying very hard not to notice the way the stares had turned bug eyed, or how whispers sprang up whenever they walked past any students still lingering in the corridors.

This was it. He was seeing the possibility of his having a normal life in Senior High dying a messy death right before him. Judging by the sweet giggle Kyoko gave to something one of the prefects simpered at her in a loud voice, she’d seen any such possibility die a very long time ago. Such was the life of Namimori _chūgakkō_ ’s resident princess and the younger sister of Sasagawa Ryohei, he supposed.

They found Gokudera and Takeshi waiting for them along with Kusakabe-san in the office, Hibari nowhere to be seen. Gokudera looked even more agitated than usual, slumped over the sill of the open window, a crushed pack of cigarettes in one hand and a lit one down almost right till the filter in the other.

Takeshi, standing stooped over the table while Kusakabe pointed at something on it and spoke in a low murmur, glanced up with a relieved expression when they followed the prefects in through the door.

“Kyoko, Tsuna. Kyoya’s missing.” Takeshi said. Gokudera made a pained sound behind them, while Kusakabe nodded seriously looking pained himself.

Tsuna’s shoulders stiffened, and he quickly strode past Kyoko when she stopped short, so he could stare down at the map rolled out on the table.

“Hayato,” Tsuna called out, voice hard, and Gokudera immediately put out his feebly smoking cigarette, coming closer with a tight expression on his face. Tsuna eyed him carefully, then sighed and patted him on the shoulder.

“Did you guys manage to track where he disappeared?”

“Gokudera and Tetsuya-san both managed to narrow it down to the ruins of the old Kokuyo Amusement Park, Tsuna,” Takeshi responded immediately. “We’re not sure why he’d been headed that way, but that’s definitely where he disappeared.”

“We know why,” Kyoko said, voice snapping out as harshly as a whip and making all of them stiffen at once, the weight of the Flame in her voice resonating through them all uniformly, for all that Gokudera was still mostly loyal to Tsuna, and Kusakabe wasn’t loyal to anyone except Hibari.

When Tsuna glanced around, Kyoko’s eyes had gone from their natural hazel to a crystalline orange, burning in her head. The effect wasn’t as alien looking as Tsuna’s hereditary trait of sprouting dying will flames on his forehead, but they _did_ lend her an unearthly aura of discipline. Tsuna was again reminded of Ryohei, his voice ringing with determination even while stuck in a hospital room.

“Reborn came through,” Tsuna admitted, when the others looked at him. “It’s the Mafia. Again.”

“A rival Famiglia?” Gokudera hissed, and Tsuna laughed awkwardly.

“Hayato. We aren’t a Famiglia, not like in the Mafia. So we can’t have _rival_ Famiglia. But this is someone who was burned by the Mafia – Reborn thinks he was headed this way to get revenge on the Mafia as a whole by taking on the Vongola power base in Namimori.”

“‘Vongola power base’?” Takeshi repeated dubiously, fingers tapping restlessly on the table. Tsuna shrugged back at him, not looking at Gokudera when he wilted over slightly. And neither Takeshi nor Tsuna looked at Kyoko, whose presence in the room got heavier.

“We’re going to Kokuyo,” she said decisively. “It’s wrong that Kyoya-san had to deal with this all on his own when it’s people out to mess with one of _my_ boys. Kusakabe-san?”

“I have a car,” he replied immediately, straightening under her sharp stare. “I can drive all of us there. That is, if this is all of us?”

“Hana and Haru aren’t ready, not for someone who could take on Ryohei-senpai without a sweat,” Tsuna cut in immediately.

Kyoko shot him a dirty look for that, but Tsuna stared her down until she looked away. As Sun Guardian, he was the primary healer of their group; he _knew_ what each of them were capable of. And from the sound of it, Mukuro was capable of the kind of trouble that messed with well experienced Mafioso. Truth be told, he suspected even _they_ weren’t strong enough to take someone like that on, for all that they’d all been willing to fight when the Varia had shown up. They’d never had to deal with an experienced offensive Mist user before, after all.

“Then it’ll have to be just us. I leave it to you to explain why we didn’t pick them up, _Tsu-kun,”_ Kyoko said sweetly, and Tsuna shivered. Takeshi patted him on the back comfortingly when Kyoko turned away, though, and Gokudera offered him a surprisingly stealthy thumbs up and a weak grin.

“I still think Haru and Hana should both be fine,” Kyoko grumped, once they were in the car. “They’ve been training with Gokudera-kun and with Kusakabe-san after all. And Bianchi-san, too, whenever she’s in town. Kyoya-san’s been nice enough to help out too, when he’s in the mood. Why me and not them?”

Tsuna tried to figure out how to answer in any way other than ‘because you’re _you’._ From Takeshi’s wince, he was much the same. Gokudera saved both their asses, clearing his throat and speaking up while he tapped off the ashes of his cigarette out the rolled down window.

“They haven’t been trained by Ryohei-senpai like you have, Sasagawa-san. That puts you a head and shoulders above them both; Ryohei-senpai’s been able to go toe to toe with Hibari for _years._ They just don’t spar too often anymore because of the collateral damage. You know how Hibari can get about that.”

Everyone in the car took a moment to collectively shudder at the thought of how Hibari could get over collateral damage done to Namimori.

“It still doesn’t seem fair,” Kyoko mumbled in response, the weight of her resolve softening enough that both Tsuna and Takeshi were able to rest a little easier. “It feels like we’re unduly trying to protect them. Neither of them is going to like it.”

“Mukuro’s people can be dangerous, Kyoko-chan,” Tsuna said blandly. “Even Reborn was being wary of them. _Reborn._ The baby who could trounce all our asses without breaking a sweat.”

Gokudera snorted at that, hiding a sharp smile behind his cupped hand and cigarette, while Takeshi laughed wryly. Kyoko sighed as well, smiling in spite of herself.

“We’re nearing the amusement park,” Kusakabe said abruptly. “We should get there in anoth- Kyo-san!”

The car screeched to a halt, Tsuna, Takeshi and Kyoko all sliding right off the back seats with a yelp, while Gokudera got jerked back in place by his seatbelt. When they peered out the windows, Kusakabe already out of the car, they found Hibari standing on the side of the road, looking ragged and bloodstained.

*

They rushed back to Namimori so they could admit Hibari in a hospital, much to his disgust. They could almost feel the rage simmering off of him, even as they waited while the nurses in the ER checked him for any major injuries.

They declared him exhausted and with a low haemoglobin count – his only injuries scrapes and cuts that might require stitches. No broken bones. And his blood levels weren’t low enough to require a transfusion. So, a night in the hospital, but he wouldn’t require a longer stay. Hibari suffered through being admitted into a room and having to change into hospital clothes, frowning murderously all the while.

“The Mist herbivore said he’s leaving Namimori,” he snapped, once they all filed into his room. “The coward said he wouldn’t bother anymore of Namimori’s residents before he left.”

“Did he hit you with his trident?” Tsuna asked worriedly, hands already beginning to glow with Sun Flames. He didn’t have as much experience as Reborn or Shamal with Mist injuries, but he could _try,_ at least. And possibly do a better job than the hospital, for all that it was owned by the Cavallone, according to Reborn and Dino. Hibari shot his hands a vitriolic look, but he didn’t protest when Tsuna reached out.

“He scratched me with the trident, yes. And momentarily possessed me as well. I assume the baby got in touch with you?”

“He did,” Tsuna replied, running his hands over the visible scratch on Hibari’s neck and then his right forearm, as indicated by Hibari with a jerk of his chin. “Kyoko and I had been on our way to warn you when we found out that you’d already set off for Kokuyo. And had disappeared at the amusement park.”

Tsuna couldn’t sense any latent flames in his injuries, but he suspected the case would have to be turned over to Shamal to be on the safe side. He just didn’t have enough experience to be sure. And possession sounded like it could be dangerous. Hibari shot him an irritated look when Tsuna stepped away, but he thankfully didn’t do anything more threatening than that.

“Are we going to believe Rokudo on that?” Takeshi asked dubiously.

“Like hell,” Gokudera grunted, throwing himself into an armchair close to Hibari’s bed. “He’s a Mist, the rat bastard. No telling what he’d get up to if we left him alone.”

“No,” Kyoko murmured, and all of them paused, looking towards her. “I don’t think he’s so hard to believe right now. He came to Namimori for a specific reason, after all. And if he’s really capable of possession, possessing Hibari would have given him the answers he sought.”

“…that’s true,” Gokudera admitted grudgingly, after a long pause. Hibari didn’t say anything, only glancing away towards the window. The knowledge that Mukuro _couldn’t_ get what he wanted, not when Tsuna was loyal to Kyoko, hung heavily over all of them. Kyoko’s face looking as though it could be carved from steel while Gokudera scowled up at her.

“You’re all crowding. _Leave.”_ Hibari cut in abruptly, and the pall hanging over them dissipated immediately.

“Of course, Kyoya-san. Forgive us,” Kyoko said immediately, voice pleasantly apologetic. “Tsuna, Takeshi.”

“Hai,” Takeshi sang out, straightening from where he’d been leaning against a wall, while Tsuna stepped away from Hibari’s bedside.

“I’ll stick around for a bit longer,” Gokudera said. “You guys can handle yourselves, I’m assuming.”

“You won’t do anything of the sort, herbivore.” Hibari hissed, and Gokudera rolled his eyes, lifting one of his shoulders up in a lazy shrug.

“I can and will. You don’t have to like it. If you’d just told one of us where you were going this wouldn’t have happened, Hibari.” Gokudera said snidely. Hibari’s lips pulled back from his teeth in what would have been a smile if it didn’t look like he’d like nothing better than to go for Gokudera’s jugular.

Kusakabe sighed, and Kyoko shoved Tsuna and Takeshi out of the room before Takeshi could add any fuel to the fire.

Tsuna paused once they were out, biting his lip when Kyoko pushed Takeshi past him. When she looked back at him curiously, he rubbed the back of his neck with an awkward smile.

“Just thought I should go look in on Ryohei-senpai,” he said sheepishly. “Now that the Mukuro situation seems to have cleared, I won’t be coming here quite so frequently, right.”

Kyoko surveyed him with raised brows, while Takeshi turned away, coughing suspiciously. Tsuna pasted on a smile that made his jaw ache, wishing he didn’t respect Kyoko quite so much. If he didn’t, he’d have reached out to punch Takeshi in the gut, because the baseball freak would deserve it.

“Tsuna,” Kyoko began mildly, and Tsuna stiffened immediately at the tone. “Do I need to be asking after you intentions towards my brother.”

Takeshi _choked,_ and sounded like he was hacking up a lung with his coughs. Tsuna’s smile tugged harder at his lips.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Kyoko-chan,” Tsuna said. “I just respect him a lot. I should be nice to my senpai, right.”

“Is _that_ what they’re calling it these days,” Kyoko remarked. Takeshi just kept laughing under the guise of coughing.

“No clue. What were we talking about again?” Tsuna threw back, and Kyoko sighed, giving him a fond smile.

“Be that way, if you must. Stop by my home later, okay? I think I’ll have Takeshi help me bake some cupcakes. Or cookies. We all deserve a treat, after these last few days.”

Tsuna nodded, and waved them both away, listening absentmindedly to the sound of Gokudera’s muffled yells coming from the room behind him. He waited until they were both out of sight, then steeled himself, and turned to make the walk to Ryohei’s room.

*

Ryohei, when Tsuna showed up, sat up with a wide grin.

“You’re back! How did the battle go? Extremely well, if you’re back this soon!”

“More like it didn’t go at all,” Tsuna admitted wryly, sliding the door shut behind him. “Hibari got captured by Mukuro’s party. Kusakabe-san drove us up to Kokuyo Amusement Park, where they’d apparently been holed up all these days, but Hibari already managed to break out before we got there. Mukuro and his people have already left.”

Ryohei frowned, hunching over where he sat on the bed. Tsuna took the armchair he’d vacated earlier in the day, smiling a little, because Ryohei looked just as distractingly attractive as ever, even when he looked like his brain was about to start steaming with all the deep thought.

“Well, even if the battle didn’t take place, it’s probably a good thing that they’ve left.” Ryohei said finally. Tsuna nodded back, setting an elbow on the chair’s arm and leaning his face into his hand.

“Probably for the best, yeah. This way Kyoko and Hibari don’t have to lose sleep over whether or not there are Mafia busy-bodies bothering people in Namimori.”

“They _would_ both lose sleep over that,” Ryohei agreed. “Kyoko worries too much! And Hibari’s extremely concerned about Namimori.”

“All’s well that ends well, senpai. Now all you have to do is get out of the hospital, and Kyoko-chan will be completely happy again.” Tsuna replied, and Ryohei shot him a surprisingly crafty look in response.

“She will, will she,” he said, and something about the glint in his eyes made Tsuna’s face warm.

“I mean, I’ll be happy too! It’s not good to be stuck in the hospital, and-” Tsuna’s embarrassed babbling broke away when Ryohei suddenly reached out, cupping the side of Tsuna’s jaw that was still free. Tsuna straightened immediately, heart leaping into his throat, but he leaned into the careful kiss that Ryohei pressed against his lips.

“What was that for,” Tsuna whispered, pulse beating double time in his ears when Ryohei pulled away slightly.

A flash of something panicky stole across Ryohei’s face, but Tsuna reached out to grab a fistful of Ryohei’s yukata, reeling him in when he tried to get away.

“I- I didn’t read you wrong, did I? Kyoko’s been saying things and-” Tsuna swallowed down Ryohei’s yelp when he abruptly leaned in to press a kiss of his own to the upperclassman’s chapped lips.

“She’s been saying things, has she,” Tsuna breathed, and Ryohei grinned goofily at him in response. Tsuna had to laugh at how cute the expression looked on his face. Like sister, like brother.

“I’ll have to thank her at some point, then. Later, though.”

_Much later,_ Tsuna admitted to himself, and dragged a very willing Ryohei closer to press another kiss to his lips, slower this time. Ryohei sighed into him, his free arm reaching out to wrap around Tsuna’s waist as much as it could, tugging him off of the arm chair and up onto the bed.

At least something good had come of Mukuro showing up in Namimori and Tsuna being forced to visit Ryohei in the hospital every day, hadn’t it.

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there! If you're new, welcome to my third entry to KHR Rare Pair Week - and if you're not, here's the third ship so far! This week really has been an interesting experience in writing ships I never thought I would attempt. Like the ships in this fic. I tend to be a diehard Ryohei/Hana fan, so shipping him with Tsuna felt a bit odd, but it made perfect sense in the setting. Ditto on Hayato/Kyoya - that ship all but wrote itself in.
> 
> Hope you enjoyed reading this! Maybe there'll be a day when I'll come back to this fic and detail the background story I've built for this 'verse. I really want to, especially since I had a lot of fun writing it.
> 
> **Kudos and Comments are very welcome!** I'm still catching up on my responses to the other posts I've made so far for this week; unexpected family reunions kind of came in the way of my responding. But I'd love to hear what you have to say. Did you like the background setting? How was the build in the relationship between Ryohei and Tsuna? How did Kyoko feel? And did you or did you not feel bad for Hayato. I know I did. *grins wryly*
> 
> \---
> 
> For anyone interested, the next new AO3 post from me will be: Day Four's submission for KHR Rare Pair Week.
> 
> You can find me **[@adelmortescryche](https://adelmortescryche.tumblr.com)** \- come by and say hi! I don't bite.


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